The market success of available multi-function wireless devices (WDs), such as mobile phones, computers, personal data assistants PDAs and the like, demonstrates the desirability of owning and operating devices having a wide array of available functions. Generally, consumers enter into subscriber agreements with service providers that offer a selection of services from a variety of functions for a WD, such as particular data services, text services, customized ringback features, and the like. Since each provider is unique, and offers services to subscribers within their provider coverage area, consumers are regularly faced with charges incurred for services when outside of a selected provider's coverage area, commonly known as “roaming charges”.
When roaming with a WD, a subscriber of one wireless service provider uses the facilities of a second provider. Fees are determined by an agreement between the providers, and are usually first seen by a subscriber on an invoice, or as prepaid service minutes are depleted. Typically a subscriber does not choose the second, or roaming, provider. Most CDMA phones include a preferred roaming list, arranged by their provider, which determines priority access for a list of wireless carriers. The list can be arranged by a system ID, or SID, identifying each of the wireless carriers.
When a WD roams onto the second provider's network, the wireless fees are typically much higher than the fees charged for the same services by the selected provider network. Sometimes roaming can occur even when a subscriber is within the selected provider network. For example, when either a WD handset signal or the service provider's signal from the nearest antenna is very weak, automatic roaming can occur.
A WD can also go into “roaming mode” if there are a high number of calls in the area, such as when all of the provider's sites are at capacity or out of range. The WD might use another provider's site (i.e., might roam) instead of having a call blocked or dropped, sometimes at an additional cost to the subscriber.
Some WDs provide a symbol on the screen to indicate when the WD is roaming. Subscribers can manually disable certain functions of the WD, or can reduce or restrict a specific function, such as email capabilities or phone capabilities. For example, a cellular subscriber can be offered an option to preprogram their device to disable data services when a roaming area is entered. Specifically, for example, a Blackberry® subscriber, can preprogram their phone to disable all data services by accessing options→Mobile Network→Data Services: Off when roaming. However, since selecting this option prevents the use of all data services, it may not be desirable for some subscribers.
Alternatively, a number of different settings can be individually, manually disabled, such that not all of the data services are disabled simultaneously. Often the settings are all located in different locations within a user interface of the WD. However, individually and manually disabling settings can be both inefficient and costly to the subscriber, as the effort required to manually disable each function could cause a subscriber to incur roaming charges while making changes to the settings, or choose not to disable certain features in the interest of time, thereby incurring charges that could be avoided if disabling the services weren't such a cumbersome task.